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CHRONICLES OF TACTICA Special Red Rasetsu

Welcome back to Chronicles of Tactica, where we delve into individual models from the Eldfall Chronicles range and learn how to maximize their effectiveness on the tabletop. We have a special red-hued treat for you this week, and no—it’s not Santa! Today, we’re previewing the first new skirmish profile from the Northern Wind expansion: the fierce, red “demon girl” of the Oni faction, the Red Rasetsu! She’ll be bounding across the board—yes, even leaping into chimneys if necessary—and leaving “presents” in the form of brutal beatings for your opponent’s models!

PROFILE CHARACTERISTICS & PLAYSTYLE

Profile Characteristics and Playstyle

Right off the bat, the Red Rasetsu weighs in at 35 points with a limit of 1—a staggering cost that’s the highest we’ve seen to date. In a standard 65-point game, she alone devours over half your available points. She has just one Class, Berserker, which is incredibly useful for keeping your pricey investment alive longer.

Stats That Demand Attention

Her stat line more than justifies the steep cost. The standout is STA 3, typical for Oni, allowing you to field only two models in a 65-point list but still maintain 6 AP per turn overall. The rest of her stats would make even the Empire of Soga blush. With 6 HP and ARM 3, she’s among the toughest in the game, especially combined with Berserker. Above-average attack stats, stellar AG, and a jaw-dropping T 15 round out her profile. Essentially, the Red Rasetsu is above average across the board.

Skills, Traits, and Movement Galore

She comes with the classic Oni package: Affinity (Profane), Demon, and Menacing I. (Menacing is a new addition to the Skirmish: any model with Los to this model suffers a -2 mod for every level of the ability.) This package lets you put pressure on any foe who somehow survives her initial assault. Rounding things out is an excellent mobility suite: Survival (Difficult), Dash, and Leap extend her threat range significantly and let her navigate terrain with ease.

As if that weren’t enough, she also has Fearless for extreme situations and Duelist, further cementing her role as a close-combat powerhouse. Topping it off is Berserk III as her Combat Art. While Level II of Berserk is less relevant (due to her weapon already having Sweep I), adding Knockdown or Crippling to her attacks ensures foes who survive her first strike won’t stay standing for long.

Inventory: Simple Yet Deadly

Her Desecrated Relic Blade might be the most potent weapon we’ve seen. It has RCH 2″, STK = STA, and PW = T+4, giving it a PW of 19 in the Red Rasetsu’s hands—yikes. It also boasts Cleave and Sweep I, letting her threaten multiple opponents at once and potentially one-shot even the toughest enemies.

Stratagems

The Red Rasetsu also brings three powerful Stratagems to the table:

  1. Mark of Red – “Target Oni with STA 2 or less gains +2 STA.” – This ensures you have 6 STA.
  2. Devour the Enemy – “The first time an Oni wound an enemy this turn (excluding models with Undead, Construct, or Elementral Trait), it regains 1 HP.” This adds sustain, not just for her, but for your other Oni as well.
  3. Raid Expert – “Oni models gain Dash and Leap.” This extends your Oni’s Reach and mobility.

These Stratagems offer a taste of how the Oni faction will operate: ultra-elite models with higher-than-normal stats and additional AP, each with unique and devastating abilities.

On the Field

With so few models on the board, you’ll struggle to control ground, and losing even one model can cripple your army. The Red Rasetsu is your brutal combat stick, likely to murder anything she touches while remaining tough to remove. However, she’s lacking at range and can be taken down in reactive play by dedicated melee specialists—or simply overwhelmed by facing multiple models at once.

TOP UPGRADES

This section for the Oni will be more of an exception than the rule. They have access only to neutral Upgrades, and due to the high point costs, there are very few opportunities where taking upgrades will be viable for the Oni.

That said, Additional Protection, Imported Crossbow, and First Aid are all solid choices—if you can afford them.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Whew, that’s a lot to unpack! The Red Rasetsu offers a clear snapshot of the Oni faction’s playstyle: ultra-elite, likely outnumbered, yet brutally efficient. She’s one of the more straightforward Oni—an extremely mobile and aggressive beatstick who outmatches nearly anything in durability and damage output. Her approach is simple: get into the enemy’s lines and don’t die before they do. Every tool in her kit supports that mission.

Just putting her on the field forces your opponents to devise specific plans and bring the right tools to handle such a threat. She’ll be bounding across the board—yes, even leaping into chimneys if necessary—and leaving “presents” in the form of brutal beatings for your opponent’s models!